The Irish protocol.

Compare Ireland being part of the EU with being part of the UK.

I don't think the EU would allow us to starve due to famine while exporting our food

You don't think peace in Northern Ireland is a benefit for the UK?

That's very telling. Vote Leave don't think that either. Are you sure you're an Ulster Unionist? They're generally very strong on the idea that NI is part of the UK.

But not over hard Brexit?

You're so close to grasping the point when you write "The UK voted to leave the EU and has now done so" and then almost immediately follow it with "anything which makes trade between Ireland and NI or NI and GB more difficult risks a return to violence". Hard Brexit inevitably raises barriers to trade between Ireland and NI or between NI and GB or (as has happened) between both. Hard Brexit risks a return to violence. Hard Brexit is the unilateral choice of the UK.

Ireland is not going to allow the UK to bully us out of the Single Market, even if - as is the case - the UK's tactic for doing so is to jeopardise peace in Northern Ireland. And those in the UK who profess to be concerned about peace in Northern Ireland and who are not bitterly opposing the UK government's hard Brexit and holding them to account for the consequences - well, it is difficult to take the good faith of those people seriously.

It is such obvious Daily Express type propaganda. Christ, given my posting history on here, it is pretty apparent I'm no fan of Leo Varadkar or FF/FG, but to describe standing up for Irish interests as trying to curry favour with the EU? I suspect the language I'd use to describe that would end up with some sort of moderator action.

I'd imagine as with most who have swallowed such nonsense, if one was to point out that the PSNI and British Government were actually the first to raise the risk of violence in the event of a hard border in Ireland, it would be ignored.

I'd also imagine if one was to ask for an example of an Enda Kenny style, 'pragmatic solution' which respects the red lines of the British Government, the integrity of the Single Market and doesn't involve magical seamless borders that are years beyond our current technological capacity, one would also be waiting a long time.

Where is the data on trade divergence. Because business groups are happy with the Protocol...anyone would know to get their opinion first, when it comes to trade.

So data please or I call nonsense on the claim that divergence of trade has reached such a critical juncture that it requires the triggering of Art 16 - which does not END the Protocol and is only a TEMPORARY measure BTW

And we're back to this "Leo weaponised the border" nonsense. Why do you bother?